Courting Harry
by Mindige0
Summary: In a time where courting is still the norm along with cell phone, computers, texts and emails. Who will the Marquis Cedric Diggory court when he turns sixteen, and what is Harry doing being a servant at the Duke Diggory Estate? Will the Potters try to move up in status by trying to have one of their "twins" be courted by Cedric or will the Malfoys move in and sneak Cedric out from
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the HP world for if I did I would be one happy woman.

Author Notes: This story contains slash if you don't like boy on boy action then don't bother with reading it and then flaming me about it. Got it? Good!

Author Notes: This is completely AU, Cedric Diggory is alive and Harry never attended Hogwarts due to his Uncle. There is a courting season and all have the option to participate. British caste system are used in this fic, so if you don't know you can look it up and understand a bit more about why people are in certain castes Let the story begin!

Courting Harry

By Mindige0

"Look Dursley, I've come to collect" a man with glasses sitting on a face that just showed how unhappy he was with where and what he was doing.

"Amos"

"That will be Duke Diggory to you from now on" the man said his facial features becoming even more unhappy.

"I….I….I don't have the money" a walrus looking like man said, shaking across from the other man.

"Then you shall pay in another form"

"What…." The walrus looking man asked afraid to know the answer.

"I want payment and I want it now"

"All I can give you is…." And here a small lithe teenage boy passed behind Duke Amos Diggory trying to not get noticed.

"Boy!" the walrus man shouted, which in turn made Duke Diggory turn to see who the walrus looking man was shouting to.

"His name is Harry" Dursley said watching as the teenage boy made his way closer and closer to where the pair stood.

"No last name?"

"Abandoned" Dursley was quick to explain, something that Duke Diggory noticed but didn't comment on, they were in need of another worker at the estate and this would be a good way to get it. They wouldn't have to put an ad in the local paper only to have half the world seek employment and only because of his son, Cedric. The thought of his son brought a smile to his face, his son would finally be turning sixteen this summer and they had a huge birthday party planned. After that it would soon be courting season and Cedric would be going back to Hogwarts for his last year of schooling, unless of course he decided to go to university; an option with his son grades.

"I shall take him as payment, but don't you dare think that you will be dealing with me any further" Duke Diggory said before glaring at Dursley and then grabbing the small teenage boy and making his way to the waiting limo and driver.

"Sit up front" Duke Diggory demanded before pushing the small teen towards where a large man stood dressed in all black, looking almost like an assassin. The teen did as he was told and spoke not one word the whole drive back to the Diggory Estate.

"Duke Diggory we have arrived home" the driver said as they pulled to a stop outside of the front doors to a large manor that sat on the top of a small hill, leaving the vast front yard laying below them.

"Thank you Abay" Duke Diggory said from his backseat position, looking out over the grounds and smiling to himself. His son would be home in just a few short week, his only son; one of the few bright spots in his role as Duke Diggory.

"Take the boy down with you" Duke Diggory said as he stepped out of the open door that Abay held open for him.

"Yes mi Lord" Abay agreed before waiting until Duke Diggory had entered the house to turn his attention to the small boy who now stood next to the passenger's side door his head down, looking like a meek servant.

"Follow me" Abay said instantly smitten with the young boy that stood before him. Abay was certain that he could be no older than ten or eleven, of that he was certain. The boy followed without question, which rose eyebrows; even the new help had asked at least a few questions when arriving to the grounds.

"Here we are" Abay said before showing Harry a room that was close to his and his wife's, the head maid, Emmeline. Abay waited for the young boy to enter the room, he had a feeling that the boy didn't have much in life and he was certain that the living quarters they were giving him would be in much higher standards than what he was probably used to.

"For me" Harry whispered afraid to speak, he hadn't been told to speak but certainly the man had picked out the wrong room for him to occupy for the duration of his life, and so he hope he would be allowed this slip-up.

"For you, me and my wife are right next door should you need anything" Abay supplied shocked that he had even told the young boy that tidbit of information.

"This is much, too much" Harry said clearly surprised that they were giving him a room of such quality, granted it didn't have the luxuries that one of the guest bedrooms in the manor had but it certainly an upgrade from the cupboard under the stairs he had been staying in for the past fifteen years of his life.

"It's perfectly acceptable" Abay said the sinking feeling he had in his heart, sinking even further.

"I don't want to inconvenience…."

"It's really nothing at all, it was free" Abay said quickly wanting to make sure the small boy understood that he wasn't an inconvenience probably like his old master said, which made him wonder on why Vernon Dursley would expend any sort of energy berating the staff in such a manner.

"If you're sure" Harry said taking a step into the room, eyes wide at the amount of space he had as well as the quality of the items in the room, like the person who bought them actually cared that the person in the room was comfortable.

"Positive, now why don't you settle in. My wife will be by soon" Abay said watching Harry as he touched the items in the room, almost as if he had to make sure that they were real and tangible. Abay made his way next door hoping that his wife would be in their rooms, and it seems luck was with him since his wife was busy rushing about the rooms, looking as if she was a woman possessed.

"Emmeline" Abay called out, having stopped at the door to their quarters when he saw the flurry his wife was in.

"You" the woman with beautiful white/gray had said pointing what looked to be a spoon at him, as if it was a wand.

"I didn't do it" Abay said, instantly reacting to his wife's actions. He had seen this scene one too many times and it usually centered on, someone blaming him for something he didn't do.

"I lost another hand today! Another one!" The woman said before she continued her rant, not at all bothered that her husband stood at the doorway to their quarters scared out of his mind.

"She just up and quit, said it wasn't what she was looking for. I'll tell you what she was looking for….a fairly tale ending, where our dear sweet Cedric sweeps her off her feet. It just won't happen, I tell ya" the woman continued to rant waving her spoon around as if she was conducting music.

"Emmeline" Abay said slowly not wanting to get any of the wrath his wife was sure to dish out.

"What?" Emmeline snapped not at all happy to be stopped in the rant she was in.

"We just got a new hand"

"What?" Emmeline snapped at her husband, she was clearly not happy at all.

"Lord Diggory received a new hand today"

"Male or female, I won't have some chit walking about the grounds acting as if she is the soon to be Mistress"

"No, a male and a very meek male; he can't be any older than ten or eleven" Abay said watching as his wife perked up at the idea of a male hand and a young one at that being on site.

"Show me" Emmeline demanded before Abay turned around in the doorway and made his way next door with his wife right behind him.

"Harry" Abay called into the room looking around and not finding the small male he had left in the rooms.

"Sir?" Harry said coming from under the bed, looking most embarrassed to being caught doing something under the bed that was in the room.

"My wife has come for a visit" Abay said before turning around and giving his wife a look.

"Be nice, he's had a hard life" Emmeline glared at her husband before pushing him aside and seeing Harry standing there in clothes that were much too large for him, his hair all over the place and he looked to be covered in dirt.

"Hullo" Emmeline said surprised at what was before her, she could tell that her husband's words were correct and that they would need to be careful with Harry until he was comfortable in his new surroundings.

"Ma'am" Harry said in greeting before looking down at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with the pair that stood before him. He had, had that lesson beat into him one too many times to forget it.

"Harry, is it?" Emmeline asked surprised at the way that Harry was acting, none of the recent hands that had been hired on acted this way. Most when it came down to it were looking to get Cedric's attention and be swept off their feet.

"Yes, ma'am" Harry answered still looking at the floor.

"Well look at me, we gotta get you presentable" Emmeline said before moving closer to Harry and then lifting his head so that he looked into Emmeline's eyes.

"You won't be going back there, this is home now; we are home now" Emmeline whispered to Harry before she saw tears begin to gather in his eyes.

"No more pain" Emmeline said knowing that Harry's life at where ever he had come from had been one of pain and humiliation, something that no person should have to live through.

"Now how about we clean you up, feed you and show you around the grounds?" Harry nodded his head silently, tears now running down his face, cleaning the dirt off the beautiful skin that lay underneath.

"Good, now….Abay!" Emmeline shouted before giggling when she saw Harry crack a smile at seeing her husband jump at her calling of his name.

"Luv?" Abay asked wondering what his wife had told Harry for him to smile and act as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

"Go and get a tub ready, Harry must be presentable….where did he come from? Some, some two bit, ill titled Baron, I bet" Emmeline said before hearing a giggle come out of Harry's mouth, a sure sign that she has achieved what she set out to do.

"Well what are you waiting for? An invitation? Go get the tub ready!" Emmeline said before hearing her husband move from the doorway of the room to down the hall.

"I swear that husband of mine" Emmeline bemoaned to Harry, only to have him smile in return.

"Now why don't we see what we can do about those clothes of yours? I doubt you have any that fit, am I correct?" Harry nodded his head afraid to speak.

"Speak freely Harry, we don't punish you for speaking your mind" Emmeline said remembering what her husband had said about how Harry had been living.

"First stop is the linens, there has to be a uniform that will fit you. It's been such a long time that there has been someone so young. How old are you? Ten? Eleven?" Emmeline said as the pair of them made their way down the long corridor that housed all of the hands that worked the grounds of the manor.

"I'll be sixteen this July" Harry said quietly, afraid of the reaction he would get from Emmeline.

"What?!" Emmeline said very, very confused. Her husband had told her that Harry couldn't be any older than eleven, but it seemed that her husband was wrong.

"I'm fifteen" Harry said watching Emmeline for a reaction that was sure to come.

"Then we'll have to celebrate your sixteenth birthday. That's an important age after all" Emmeline said not wanting to even ask on why Harry was so small for his age, she had a feeling she already knew.

"No"

"I, no we won't take no for an answer" Emmeline said arriving right on time to the linen area where there were piles and piles of linen.

"How about you stay right here? Lucy's a right chit when she wants to be" Emmeline explained before entering the large room and making her way over to where a red headed woman stood screaming out orders. Emmeline returned back quickly, before she guided Harry back to the corridor that they had been in.

"Here we are, now let's see if that husband of mine was able to get you a tub ready" Emmeline said before knocking on the door and then opening it. Abay stood next to the tub, hands in pocket looking proud as a peacock that he was able to get a tub ready for Harry.

"We will talk" Emmeline said quickly to her husband before testing out the water, nodding her head and then waving Harry into the room.

"Now here you are, if you need anything just give a shout. We will be outside, and take your time" Emmeline said before placing the clothing she got from Lucy the Linen demon and then leading her husband out of the room. Once the door was closed did Emmeline start in on her husband.

"Where did he come from?"

"Baron Vernon Dursley"

"He's fifteen, Abay, fifteen!" Emmeline whispered screamed, appalled that someone would treat their staff as badly as Harry seemed to have been treated.

"What do you mean fifteen? He's no bigger than a ten year old?" Abay said shocked at what his wife was telling him.

"He just told me his sixteenth birthday is in July"

"Dursley" Abay growled out, this just made him even more curious on what Baron Vernon Dursley was hiding when he had given Harry to Duke Diggory.

"That man is a horror" Emmeline stated before she heard a noise coming from inside of the bathroom.

"Shhh" Emmeline said while swatting her husband, who was mumbling to himself about all the ways he was going to kill Baron Vernon Dursley.

"Harry" Emmeline called out taking a step closer to the closed bathroom door, and then knocking waiting for Harry to respond.

"Come in" Harry said quietly, he hadn't wanted to bother anyone but it seemed as if he would have to.

"Harry" Emmeline called out as she took her first step into the bathroom and then closing the door behind her so that her husband was left outside to stew over Baron Dursley.

"I…I need some help" Harry said quietly while sitting in the full bath tub. Emmeline got one look at Harry's body and gasped. What had that man done to this child?!

"Let me get Abay to get some supplies" Emmeline said before turning and the opening the door just a tiny bit.

"Get the medi kit, its worst than you can imagine" Emmeline said quietly so that Harry couldn't hear her. Abay nodded his head and made his way to the medical kit that his wife had in their rooms. He returned quickly and handed over the kit to his wife.

"Go walk it off, he's going to need us" Emmeline said before closing the door to the bathroom and making her way with the kit in hand over to where Harry still sat in the bath tub.

"Now let's get some clean water in here and fix you up. Do you want to talk about it?" Emmeline said helping a blushing Harry out of the tub and guiding him to where a large towel was that he could use until she got another tub full of water ready.

"I…."

"It's okay honey, take your time. You're not going back, I'm going to make sure of that" Emmeline promised Harry before turning and fiddling with the taps and then beginning to fill the tub up with water.

"He's my uncle" Harry said quietly, wondering what the woman before him would do with the information. Emmeline said nothing knowing that Harry was in his own world while he spoke, she could tell by his voice.

"They tell me that my parents didn't want me, so they gave me to him…I don't like him much" Harry said before sighing, and then continuing to talk.

"He made sure to make my life….hard…..and my cousin was no better" Harry said before Emmeline turned and made her way over to where Harry now stood shivering, looking as if he was reliving one of the horrible moments with his time at the Dursley Manor.

"Well no more, now let me get a look at that wound. I'm pretty sure it's infected" Emmeline said before watching Harry drop the towel and turn to his side a bit, where a huge wound lay weeping an almost white liquid.

"My stars" Emmeline said before she heard Harry speak again, she could tell he was fighting to keep his emotions under control.

"I burned the bacon, or so they say" Harry said knowing good and well that he hadn't burned the bacon but that it was a flimsy excuse to do something horrible to him.

"Baron Dursley will get his" Emmeline comforted Harry before setting about working on the wound and trying to get it cleaned and ready for stitching that she was certain it would need.

"There, I'll have to ask Doc to stitch you up" Emmeline said happy at the job she had done. She hadn't put anything on it since Harry would need another dip into the tub but she knew that the wound was at least clean enough for the new bath to clean out the rest that may lay deep in the wound.

"No need"

"Yes, and don't fight me on it. You'll lose, my husband knows that all too well" Emmeline said with a wink and then helping Harry into the tub.

"Need any help?"

"I…yes, please ma'am" Harry said before Emmeline was all business with cleaning Harry up. She started on the body and then moved to his hair. It was thirty minutes later that Emmeline deemed Harry clean enough to leave the bath tub and bathroom.

"Now, I guessed on the size. We'll have to get you some clothes tailored" Emmeline said more to herself than to Harry, who's eyes were the size of saucers at what she was rattling on about.

"No need to do that" Harry said before realizing that Emmeline wasn't listening to a word he said.

"Abay" Emmeline called out as the pair stepped out of the bathroom.

"Em" Abay responded before getting an earful from his wife about what needed to be done.

"I'll do that now" Abay said before disappearing down the corridor and to go off and do what his wife had requested of him, and if he just so happened to stop by the Duke's door to let him know about Harry's life then that was all right too. Emmeline was soon showing Harry around the grounds and the areas that needed keeping, making sure to stop everyone to introduce him to the hands. Most were shocked at the presentation that Emmeline was giving but then knew better than to ask while the young man beside her was with her.

"I'll have you work inside until your side heals up" Emmeline said to Harry a few hours later, after Doc has seen Harry and stitched him up as Emmeline promised.

"What did you do at Baron Dursley's manor?"

"I worked mainly indoors, but I like being outside" Harry said before blushing when one of the hands that worked the horse stable on the grounds started laughing.

"Byram, hush" Emmeline snapped at the man before taking Harry's hand and guiding him away from the horse stables that they had been standing near.

"Maybe I can get Laurel to have you help in the garden, does that sound nice?" Harry nodded his head, tears forming in his eyes. Even here people laughed at him.

"Come, come" Emmeline said seeing that Harry was about to cry, she would make sure that Byram paid for his rudeness later on.

"Laurel?" Emmeline called out to a figure that stood in between rows and rows of flowers.

"Em?" Laurel called back before making her way over to the pair of them.

"Laurel, I want you to meet Harry. He's our new hand, I thought he could spend some time with you" Emmeline said before conveying with her eyes what she couldn't say with Harry standing next to her.

"Of course, come now. What's your name again?" Laurel said taking on the role of mother quiet well.

"Harry, ma'am" Harry responding before being pulled off down the rows of beautiful flowers that were in bloom or almost ready to bloom, she could see that Harry wanted to stop and touch each flower; a good thing in her book.


	2. Chapter 2

~Two Weeks Later~

"Marquis Cedric will be here soon!" Emmeline shouted to anyone that was near her not doing as they were told.

"I swear, do I have to do everything myself?" Emmeline followed quickly behind a girl who was being lazy as she placed fresh towels and linens into Marquis Cedric's rooms.

"Where's Harry?" Emmeline asked once she had put Cedric's rooms to rights.

"Out with Laurel" the girl said throwing her hair over her shoulder and then flouncing away.

"She's got to go" Emmeline said before making her way towards the flower gardens that you usually were able to find Laurel and now Harry at when not working. Emmeline soon saw Harry with a pair of pruning shears in hand and a basket beside him.

"What is that boy up to?" Emmeline asked herself as she made her way down the sloping yard to the vast flower garden that Diggory Manor had. Many prize winning flowers came from the beds that Laurel and now Harry tended to.

"Harry" Emmeline called out once she was close enough to not scare the boy with her shout; he was still very jumpy around unknown surroundings and loud noises.

"Emmeline" Harry responded a smile on his face at hearing his favorite person's voice, well Abay was also a favorite but he hadn't been able to see much of the man since Duke Diggory had put the house into a flurry for preparing for Marquis Cedric Edward Diggory to arrive back from his finishing school of Hogwarts.

"There you are" Emmeline said relieved to have found Harry where he was. Most of the men of the Manor had taken a shine to Harry, and a few had also been seen 'chatting' Harry up, with the small teen clueless of the other's intentions. Byram was one of them, but Harry had yet to realize that.

"I was picking some flowers for Marquis Diggory's room; do you think he'll like that?" Harry asked worried, at the time when he voiced his idea to Jasmine, one of the hands that had been hired on for the summer, he had been laughed at, but upon arriving outside and to his haven where Laurel stood a pair of trimmers in hand, he had forgotten all about the reason he was out there currently.

"I think he will love that. He is always bothering Laurel for gardening lessons…." Emmeline said thinking that Harry would be the perfect person to teach the Marquis about gardening. Laurel didn't have the patience for explaining things and the reason on why she did the things she did.

"Here's what I got" Harry said picking up the basket that lay at his feet, hoping that he wasn't getting anything that the Marquis would be offended by.

"Oh, he'll love these" Emmeline said amazed that Harry picked out each of the Marquis' favorite flowers.

"Really" Harry said wondering if Emmeline was just humoring him or if she really thought what she said.

"Really, on more than one occasion the Marquis has asked Laurel how to grow each and every one of them. I remember the time he snuck into the tool shed and got a pot full of dirt and made his way over to orchids and cut himself off a flower and then stuck it in the dirt thinking it would grow that way" Emmeline said with a chuckle, to this day Laurel gave the Marquis a hard time over his 'flower fiascos' as they called it. Harry beamed at her words, something that she was beginning to see more and more of these days.

"Now go get them ready, the Marquis is bound to be here at any moment. Abay should be arriving soon" Emmeline warned watching as Harry's eyes got big and he began to make his way back up the hill with his basket of flowers in hand and pruning shears in the other.

"It will be an interesting summer" Emmeline commented just as Laurel pulled up beside her to watch Harry make his way up to the manor.

"It shall for I have a feeling that Harry will keep the Marquis on his toes this summer" Laurel commented, she and Emmeline both knew that the Marquis's taste in a spouse was in the decidedly male persuasion, not that there was anything against it, but what the pair was uncertain about was if the Duke knew of his son's interests in the male form.

"That he shall, only question is do you think the Duke will figure it out or be told?"

"Told" both said as the same time, they knew that come hell or high water, either one of them or their husbands would tell the Duke of his son's persuasion in life.

"Do you think Duchess Diggory knows?" Both women looked at each other and answered the same thing.

"Yes"

"So we tell her, warn her?"

"I'll do that now" Emmeline said before heading up the hill towards where she knew the Duchess would be waiting for her husband and son to return at.

"Mistress, if I might intrude" Emmeline said coming into the room where Duchess Genoveva Diggory sat reading a book while the summer sun filtered through the large floor to ceiling windows in the room.

"Ah, Emmeline just the woman I wished to speak to" Genoveva Diggory said marking her spot in the book, closing it and then looking Emmeline in the eyes.

"Have a seat, I wish to discuss my son with you" Duchess Diggory said watching her head maid take a seat on the chair across from her.

"Mistress" Emmeline started off only to be cut short by the Duchess.

"My son shall arrive and with his arrival and birthday, he shall usher in the beginning of the courting season. Something that I know you have prepared years for" the Duchess got a nod in response from Emmeline, the woman had in fact been preparing for the Marquis' sixteenth birthday since he turned ten.

"With that ushering in, will come a decision my son will need to make. That of what gender his spouse will be" the Duchess watched her head maid waiting for the woman to object to her words, but she knew along with most of the staff that was close to the Diggory family that Cedric Diggory was gay and would be picking a male as his spouse.

"I think we both know the answer to that" Emmeline stated wanting to make sure that the Duchess wasn't in denial about what her son's preference in gender was.

"We do, but what I worry about is what his father will think of his choice. For you know he will do *any* to please his father" the Duchess stating remembering on more than one occasion how her son would do what her husband would want instead of what her son felt he wanted to do. Rugby was one of those such things, he played for his house team the Hufflepuffs and he hated every moment of it. She had gotten many e-mails, text messages and even letters whenever he got a chance to sit down and write something to her about how much he hated playing rugby. She knew that suggesting to quit wasn't an option, for his father had been so proud when he made the team as a second year, and even to this day he was still on the team, had actually made team captain as a fourth year and he would now be ending his sixth year at Hogwarts, both of his parents alma mater.

"I think this time the Marquis…"

"Call him Cedric, you raised him along side me" the Duchess said before getting a smile out of Emmeline.

"I think this time Cedric will need to what do the Americans call it? Ah yes, 'man up'; for this is the rest of his life. Something that he will have to live with long after his father dies" Emmeline said frankly, she knew that the Duchess or more like her friend Genoveva would understand that her harsh words were said with love. She wanted the Marquis to be happy and pleasing his father only made one person happy in the end and that was the Duke and not the Marquis.

"I will speak with my husband, only if you have Abay speak to Cedric. Cedric values your husband's opinions and thoughts."

"Consider it done my lady" Emmeline said before smiling, she had one more thing she needed to speak to her friend about.

"Speak your mind Emmeline" Genoveva said watching her long time friend, she knew something was on the woman's mind and she wouldn't leave until she had spoken her mind. Emmeline brought a finger to her lips and then rose quickly and quietly, sneaking over to where she was certain Jasmine was hiding listening in on their conversation.

"You stupid chit!" Emmeline shouted watching as Jasmine fell out of the closet she had hidden herself in, hoping to get a secret or two on how to win the Marquis's heart. It was just too bad she had missed the information that the pair had spoken, for she would have known that nothing she did would attract the Marquis' attention.

"Ma'am" Jasmine said jumping up off the floor where she had fallen before blushing bright red, she had been caught and she was certain to be sent back home.

"Pack your things; your services are no longer wanted" Emmeline said watching as the girl's eyes got big and filled with tears. Emmeline watched the back of the girl before returning back to where the Duchess sat laughing at the situation.

"Do….you…think" the Duchess managed out before Emmeline slumped into the chair and shook her head, by the reaction she had gotten she knew that the girl hadn't heard their whole conversation, if anything it was the tail end of it.

"Emmeline" Genoveva said once she noticed the serious look on her friend's face.

"I wish to discuss Harry"

"Our latest hand?" Genoveva asked confused, she had been hearing the name of the teen from many of the staff that worked the manor.

"Yes, he's…." Emmeline said uncertain on how to describe Harry. She could see the Marquis instantly being intrigued by Harry, but she also knew that Harry was scared of love, having never had any in his life.

"Emmeline" Genoveva asked concerned now, never had her friend been at such a loss of words over one of the hands that worked the manor.

"He's special…no not like that" Emmeline said after receiving a look from Genoveva, which told her what the other was thinking.

"He's been abused and from what Abay and I can tell for his whole life. From the story that I got he was abandoned by his real family to the Baron Dursley, only to be then raised as a hand and treated as if he was worse than that. He's related to the man, his uncle he says" at these words the Duchess paled, if what Emmeline was saying was true there would be a huge mess to be had if her son did take a notice in him.

"The Potters" Genoveva said her voice flat at saying the name, she had heard more than one story about the Potter spawns, as her son referred to the child the bugged him while at Hogwarts by James and Lily Potter. She hadn't known the Potter's had reproduced twice, then again that was probably the way they wanted it.

"How old is he?" Genoveva asked wanting to know if there was truly a cause for the Potter's to abandon one of their children to Baron Dursley.

"He will be sixteen on July 31st" Emmeline said watching her friend and the shock that was written all over her face.

"The bastards" she muttered before glaring at nothing.

"May I inquire…" Emmeline didn't get to finish before Genoveva began speaking, her tone harsh, angry and unforgiving.

"They had triplets, and figured one boy and one girl gave them the best chances" Genoveva said putting two and two together and quickly, she hadn't landed in Ravenclaw for no reason.

"What?" Emmeline said confused, it seemed that Genoveva had figured something out and she was still left in the starting gate.

"Well as you know the Potter family is of Earl Status, and what is the best way to move up?" Genoveva asked knowing that Emmeline would answer her, she always did.

"Marry above your station" Emmeline answered right on cue.

"Well you know that they have twins, a boy and a girl" the Duchess said her tone taking a hard edge to it now.

"Yes, Livi and Jame" Emmeline answered while rolling her eyes, knowing the names of the two Potter children; they were in the papers enough for anyone to know the names.

"Well they of course will be sixteen on what day?"

"The 31st of….July" Emmeline said stunned at what she had just said.

"There was a third"

"How could you do that to your own child?"

"I don't know, but I do plan to make sure that they know nothing of Harry being here"

"He isn't going anywhere" Emmeline said her voice taking a sharp tone as well, there was no way in hell anyone was going to take Harry away from her or the manor. Most of the workers would see to that, one of the only people that didn't like him was on their way out of the manor now.

"I plan to make certain on that, you'll adopt if need be?"

"Of course" Emmeline said jumping at the chance to adopt a child, even though he would be sixteen. There wasn't anything in the world she would take to change her mind on the matter.

"Excellent, then let me do what I need and you do what you do" Genoveva said before looking at the beautiful diamond studded watch on her wrist and seeing that her husband, son and Abay would be pulling in the driveway as they spoke.

"They're here" Emmeline summed up before standing and then curtsying to the Duchess and then leaving the room, going to check on Harry and if he had placed the floral arrangement in the Marquis' bedroom. Emmeline disappeared from sight just as the huge front double doors to the manor flew open with a very handsome young teenage boy flying through them after they were open.

"Mum!" Marquis Cedric Diggory shouted out, waiting for his mother to arrive to the front entry.

"Cedric all that shouting" Genoveva said before pulling her son into a hug and kissing him on the cheeks.

"Had to make sure you remembered I was coming home" Cedric joked with his mother before she pinched him and laughed.

"As if I could forget with that bellowing you did just a moment ago"

"Mum" Cedric whined out for all of two seconds before he began on one of the stories that he had been waiting to tell his mother since he had boarded the Hogwarts Express back to England.

"That son of yours" Abay commented to the Duke while he unpacked the boot of the car that was filled with Cedric's trunk and other luggage that he took to Hogwarts with him.

"He's mine" the Duke said a smile on his face as he watched his son whirl into the house and to where his mother was waiting for him.

"Sir" Abay said deciding that this might be the time to start working on the Duke about his son's choice in spouse.

"Abay, something on your mind?"

"Sir, if I may speak freely"

"Of course, you're a dear friend to this family, both you and your wife are" the Duke said before leaning against the car with Abay standing next to him.

"Your son thinks the world of you" the Duke nodded his head, he knew that but he also knew that some hard truths would be coming shortly.

"But in that he will do *any*thing to please you, even giving up his own happiness"

"But"

"Sir, let me finish. He'll be sixteen in just a week and can then start to court after that"

"Abay"

"Sir, please. Your son prefers males, always has and always will, but he will court and marry a woman if you demand it of him"

"I don't want to do that to my son, why would he do…." Amos Diggory stopped speaking for a moment; he remembered the day Cedric had come home tears running down his face and a bloody lip as well as knees from playing rugby for the first time. He had said he hated it, but he had pushed his son to continue, never realizing that he had basically over rode what his son's wishes were to meet his own.

"Abay you need say no more" Duke Diggory said looking shocked over the revelation he had just received and via one of the workers of the manor. Abay watched his employer and friend walk off into the house, probably to speak with his wife about what he had just figured out.

"Need help?" Byram, the stable hand said sliding up to where Abay now stood luggage surrounding him and a contemplative look on his face.

"Byram?" Abay asked shocked at the young man was out of the stable, he had made it quite clear when he had been hired on that he would only work in the stables, but it seemed that he had changed his mind.

"Need help?" Byram said looking most shifty about something.

"I think I have it" Abay said slowly watching Byram and the way that his eyes continued to dart all over the place, as if looking for someone. It was then that light bulb went off; his wife had told him about Byram's attraction to Harry.

"No, no" Byram said picking up two bags and then making his way into the manor proper, waiting for Abay to arrive to the front entry with more luggage.

"Where to?" Byram asked Abay once he was inside the large front doors.

"Just leave them here, Franklin will help me from here" Abay lied to Byram; he wanted the stable hand no further in the house than he had to be. Harry had confided in him one night that Byram scared him with the way that he followed him around and made fun of him, he reminded him very much like his cousin Dudley Dursley.

"If you're sure?" Byram said slowly waiting for Abay to change his mind.

"Yes, yes Franklin and I can handle it from here" Abay stated before walking the stable hand out of the house and then closing the door behind him.

"What won't that boy do?" Abay asked the empty foyer, only to receive no answer.

"Now to find Harry to help me" Abay said before pulling out his cell phone and calling Harry. It was one of the fastest ways to get into contact with anyone at the manor, no more intercom systems to worry about.

"Abay" Harry said at seeing who was calling him.

"Can you come and help me bring the Marquis' things in and up to his room?"

"Of course, I'm on my way." Harry said before hanging up with Abay, he still got a kick out of when Abay or one of the others called him on the cell phone. It showed at least to him, how much the people at the manor cared for him and the workers in general that worked at the manor.

"Excellent, Byram's on the prowl" Abay said just as Cedric came into the foyer a confused look on his face at hearing the words he had. Byram fancied a girl that worked at the manor? Abay wanted to cuss, right then and there but knew better than to. Cedric would then know something was up and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Cedric was one of those types of people that wouldn't let something go until he received the information he sought.

"Abay" Cedric said hoping that the man in front of him would explain his words.

"The new hand" Abay said hoping to leave as much information out. Abay was lucky in that Cedric's mother the Duchess came into the foyer and shared a look with Abay before speaking to her son.

"Cedric dear, come; your father wishes to speak to you" the Duchess said before guiding a curious Cedric out of the foyer and to where his father stood looking out upon the flower beds that brought the family so much joy.

"Thank you Duke" Abay said just as soon as Harry appeared in front of him. The boy did have a way about him that he would and could arrive to where you were with little sound or notice.

"Abay, who are you talking to?" Harry asked quietly as he usually did when in the presence of a male figure.

"No one, how about you take this up to the Marquis' room?" Abay said handing Harry a couple of bags and then watching as Harry took the bags and made his way towards where the Marquis's bedroom lay.

"Did you speak to him?" Emmeline said sneaking up on her husband as he watched Harry disappear.

"The Duke? Yes, he seemed to realize certain things" Abay said wording what he said carefully, not wanting anyone to hear the words he said.

"Good, so did the Duchess" Emmeline said looking around wondering why her husband being so vague with things.

"Byram" Abay said before his wife truly understood what was going on.

"Sir" a blonde haired, sun kissed skin young man said coming back through the door, looking like he had made a decision and planned to stick with it no matter what.

"Byram" Abay said not at all surprised to see the blonde haired boy standing before him again.

"I came here to talk to you about Harry, the new hand" Byram said before his eyes shifted around the foyer as if expecting for Harry to appear at his name being called. Both Emmeline and Abay both could only hope that Harry would stay out of the way until they could handle Byram and whatever scheme he had cocked up to get closer to Harry.

"What is it?" Abay asked wanting to be polite but knowing that Byram was about to make up some huge lie to get Harry or himself in close quarters with each other, something that neither he nor his wife would allow.

"I think he should spend some time in the stables, he's always out with Laurel and I think some time in the stable will do him some good"

"No"

"But sir"

"I said no Byram, Harry will not work in the stables. If you don't like it, I don't care; go back to the stables and I don't want to hear about this again" Abay said before giving Byram a look that told him that he had better not say anything to anyone or there would be hell to pay. Byram knew he had lost and so turned and left the foyer, not noticing that Harry now stood off to the side hiding himself away from anyone that didn't know he was there. Once Byram was gone did Harry come out of where he was and thank Abay, as if thanks were needed.

"Thank you"

"No need, he will learn" Abay said before handing over some more luggage for Harry to carry upstairs to the Marquis's room.

"I don't think he will stop" Harry warned Abay before dragging the next pieces of luggage away.

"I'll make sure that he does" Abay said before turning to where his wife stood looking ready to scream and yell until she lost her voice.

"Did that *boy* just tell us how to run this manor? Byram Witte will rue the day he spoke those words" Emmeline said before she disappeared leaving Abay standing there with the largest of the Marquis luggage pieces standing next to him.

"Only thing to do is to get these upstairs" Abay said knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk his wife out of whatever it was that she was planning. For the rest of the afternoon workers of the manor welcomed home the Marquis as well and got ready for the huge surprise welcoming home party that the Duchess had planned as a surprise for her son. It would be something that the hands had enjoyed hearing about as it was only for the manor hands to welcome the Marquis home.


	3. Chapter 3

~Marquis Cedric's Bedroom, Two hours later~

"The flowers…" Marquis Cedric Diggory said seeing the beautiful boutique that stood on the writing desk that lay under one of the windows that faced the gardens. He had picked this room out specifically for the view of the gardens when he was younger, and even to this day he loved the view that his room gave him.

"Do you know who put them here?" Cedric asked surprised at the bouquet of flowers, almost knowing that Laurel wasn't the one to put the flowers in his room. The Duchess looked at her son and thought things over, on the one hand she didn't want to lie to her son but on the other she knew that Harry had been the one to place the flowers in her son's room; and if her son knew he would be off hunting the small teen down to thank him. She knew once that happened her son would be instantly taken, like most of the staff there, over Harry and she wasn't sure how things would end up. She personally didn't want her son to break Harry's heart since it was so fragile to begin with, he had just begun smiling and speaking to her and her husband; but she knew the minute her son pushed Harry would clam up and revert to the drone servant he had been when he first arrived.

"I think the new hand Harry, cut and placed them here" Sarah one of the maids that worked for the manor said standing in the doorway a lustful look on her face.

"Mother?" Cedric asked; he hadn't heard anything in speaking with his mother or father about a new worker being hired.

"Sarah don't you have somewhere you need to be?" The Duchess asked the young woman before getting a nod of the head and then watching as the girl turned sideways, stuck out her chest and then flounced; it was the only word she could think of, away to who knew where.

"Mum" Cedric said again now not so formal with his mother.

"Harry was given to your father by Baron Vernon Dursley"

"The walrus?" Cedric said before coloring at the look his mother gave him, he had spoken ill of someone and that was unfair to that person.

"Yes, the walrus. He owed on a bet he made; of course your father loaned the man the money only for him to lose the bet and he had been avoiding your father most of the time you were away." The Duchess explained before looking at her son and wondering if what she was about to tell him would come back and haunt her later.

"Your father accepted Harry as payment and brought him here, Emmeline and Abay said he was in a right state when he arrived. Bruises and a large wound that had become infected on his side"

"Is he alright?"

"He is better, slow to heal. He's very meek and it seems that only Laurel, Abay and Emmeline can really carry a conversation with him. He's very sweet and I find that he is a hard worker and will do anything asked of him"

"I need to meet him, thank him" Cedric said now determined to meet Harry and thank him for the bouquet of flowers.

"You will soon enough, you need to rest. It was no doubt a long journey from Hogwarts"

"I'm fine mother" Cedric snapped at his mother, he hated when she did this sort of thing. It just meant that there was more going on than she was willing to tell him.

"Cedric just rest, Harry will be around. I have no doubt Emmeline and Abay are speaking to him now about your arrival. He doesn't take change too well" The Duchess said knowing that her son wouldn't buy what she was saying but it would at least placate him until such time that she could arrange a meeting between the two young men.

"Fine, but I want to meet him" Cedric said before taking a seat at his desk and touching each of the flowers, a small smile on his face; as if he was getting so much pleasure from the thoughtfulness of the bouquet. It was then that she knew that her son would quickly fall in love with Harry, and she wasn't really sure on what to do if that occurred. She had set into motion the adoption of Harry to Abay and Emmeline, but it would still be a few weeks before that would be formalized, and until then they would have to wait and try to make sure that Harry avoided Cedric as much as possible. She wasn't sure if the Potter family even realized that Harry still existed, or if they up and decided to forget him as if he never existed. She wasn't sure if they would try and claim Harry once they found out the pair was together, of course that all depended on if her son would find Harry worthy of his affections; something she was quite certain on would occur.

"I can meet him later, correct?" Cedric asked his mother one more time.

"Yes, later" the Duchess agreed before leaving the room, off to find Emmeline or Abay to tell them what to expect with Cedric wanting to speak with Harry. The Duchess heard when someone knocked on her son's door and she heard the unhappy tone to her son's voice when he found out who it was.

"She will just have to go" the Duchess told herself as she neared where Abay and Emmeline both stood overseeing some of the workers as they work on the welcome home party that would be held in just a few hours.

"Just the pair I wanted to see" the Duchess said in greeting as she neared the pair.

"What can we help you with?" Emmeline asked, she could see that there was something weighing heavily on the Duchess's mind and shoulders.

"Cedric wishes to meet Harry" the Duchess said quietly, noticing that a few of the men that Emmeline had told her about fancying Harry were about.

"Oh my" Emmeline said knowing exactly what that could and would lead to.

"Exactly"

"I will do my best to ready Harry then" Emmeline said before noticing that Byram had popped up, yet again, and seemed on the prowl.

"Excuse me" Emmeline said before storming over to where Byram stood looking around for Harry. The Duchess watched along with Abay as Emmeline made her way over to where Byram stood, looking most out of place in his dirty jeans and tank top.

"Should I worry?" The Duchess questioned Abay, wanting to know what sort of issues were going on within the workers.

"Possibly, Byram seems to fancy Harry a bit too much"

"And are the feelings returned?"

"No, he's a bit too much like, what did Harry say? Oh! His cousin Dudley Dursley"

"Oh my, I've heard horrible things about young Dudley Dursley" The Duchess said remembering at one of the gatherings she had gone to the women talking about how horrible Baron Vernon Dursley's son was and how none of their daughters wanted anything to do with the overweight young man.

"So you can see why Harry isn't overjoyed at Byram attentions"

"So I understand now" the Duchess said right before she heard Emmeline raise her voice at Byram.

"I don't care what you think you want to do, go back to your horses and stay there. You made it very, *very* clear on how you felt helping out around the manor when you were hired, so now go back to where you just *love* to be"

"This won't end well" Abay warned the Duchess knowing that things were about to get ugly, Emmeline and Byram had never gotten along and so things could and probably would get explosive quickly.

"You don't run this place" Byram shouted making all of the workers stop what they were doing to watch the battle that was about to begin.

"Then you know nothing; get your things and leave. Now!" Emmeline shouted, not at all happy with Byram and his attitude, she had never been happy with him and this just proved that he wasn't worth the money they paid him.

"You can't tell me what to do" Byram said now pouting like a spoiled little rich boy.

"I can and I just did, go. Now!"

"No" Byram said simply before crossing his arms over his chest. It was then that Abay decided to step in, it seemed that Byram didn't quite understand that Emmeline's word was law to all the workers of the manor.

"Byram get your things" Abay said calmly hoping to defuse the situation without his wife killing him later.

"I'm not leaving until the Duchess or Duke tells me to leave" Byram said thinking that he had the pair cornered, as if the Duchess or Duke would have time to come down and tell him to leave.

"Then Mr. Witte your services are no long needed" The Duchess said coming over to where Abay, Emmeline and Byram stood. Byram's mouth dropped open and then closed a few times, surprised that the Duchess had just dismissed him. He had thought that neither the Duchess nor the Duke would have the time to come down here and release him of his duties; after all he did an excellent job. Or so he thought, many of the workers that worked the stables had to clean up behind him because he was messy and careless.

"Yes Duchess" Byram said before backing away and then making his way towards the stable where his things where. He was one of the few workers that didn't live on site; instead he made the journey each day to the house. What no one knew was that Byram Witte was actually the son of the deceased Earl Robert Witte, making him the Viscount Witte. No one heard much about the family since the Earl's death, and Byram thought this would be a good way to marry up in status if he could have gotten the Marquis to notice him. That hadn't happened yet, but he had taken a liking to Harry once he had arrived, it would be marrying beneath his station but he figured he could do that being the current Earl of the family.

"And Mr. Witte, my husband wants a word with you" the Duchess said, he had just found out about the long lost Earl Witte and wanted to know what the current Earl was doing working at their manor.

"Yes Duchess" Byram said before backing away and then making his way up to the manor and the library where the Duke currently sat looking over some paperwork that had arrived just a bit ago. He would have loved to spend time with his son, he had after all just arrived home, but it seemed that work never stopped and these papers were very important and had to be handled immediately.

"Ah, Mr. Witte" Duke Amos Diggory said greeting the stable hand into the library, he was still trying to figure out why the Earl Witte was working in their stables, there had to be a plausible answer and he kept coming up empty on that. What the Duke always failed to realize was that his son was one of the most sought after, if not the top sought after male in all of Great Britain and possibly Europe. After all Duke Amos Diggory was a modest man and didn't realize how popular his son had become since going to Hogwarts.

"Duke Diggory" Byram said greeting the Duke, half wondering if the man had found out his background or not.

"Have a seat, have a seat" Amos offered to Byram, hoping that this would be a quick conversation. It seemed that the Malfoy family was doing all in their power to align their two families and he wanted nothing of it, which meant he had to respond to the documents that were currently sitting on his desk waiting for a response.

"Sir, is there a reason you wished to see me?"

"Yes, in fact there was. It seems that I have come across some most unusual news. It is that you are the current Earl Witte" Amos stated and watched as the blood from Byram's face drained away, so it was true then, the Earl Witte was working in his stables as a hand.

"Is there anything you would like to say on the matter?" Amos asked knowing that Byram wouldn't say anything, his wife had been most adamant that they get rid of him since he was probably only there to cause trouble.

"Father" Cedric said after knocking on the door and then peeking his head in. He really needed to talk to his father about the latest addition to their staff, it seemed that most of the staff couldn't shut up about Harry and he wanted to know every last detail there was to know about the young man that had invaded the manor and the lives of everyone there.

"Ah Cedric" Amos said not at all happy that Cedric had broken in on the conversation that he was having with Byram.

"Oh sorry" Cedric said when he saw the stable hand standing in the library with his father; he knew then that something must be up.

"No, no….come in, come in" Amos said to his son knowing that he would be able to speak to Byram later, that was if he didn't up and disappear overnight.

"Duke" Byram said not wanting to be anywhere near the manor's grounds come morning. The sooner he got the few things he had here, the sooner he could arrive home and not be seen by the Duke or Duchess Diggory.

"You may go" Amos said before watching as Byram made his way out of the room and probably the manor the fastest way he knew how, without getting noticed by anyone.

"Did I interrupt something?" Cedric asked his father as he took a seat on one of the vacant chairs in the library.

"Nothing that can't wait" Amos said, and he knew that Byram wouldn't be at the party that was to held that night and he wouldn't be in the stables come the next morning, so there really wasn't an issue.

"I wanted to speak to you about the newest addition to the manor's staff" Cedric started out, he watched his father face closely, for out of the two of his parents his father was the one that would show his emotions on his face more than his mother. He watched as a flicker of affection came over his father's face. So it seemed that the phantom Harry had gotten the attention of his father and mother, a hard thing to do when dealing with the staff of the manor.

"Harry" Amos said knowing that Cedric was here for answers, he could only hope that he could put his son off of whatever adventure he thought he was on about young Harry. The teen was still very skittish around new people and he knew his son could be a big overwhelming when first meeting him.

"Yes, mother spoke of him and I have yet to see this new staff member"

"Harry's hard to get a hold of" Amos said with a laugh, and it was true you could never find Harry unless you truly knew him. Even as owner of the manor he still couldn't pin point where Harry would be anytime during the day. He had a varied schedule unlike anyone else at the manor, but it seemed to make the young man happy and Amos was more than will to bend a little on things dealing with Harry. He had heard a bit of the story of who Harry truly was and he knew that his wife, along with Emmeline and Abay were in the process of doing something, what he had yet to find out, but he knew that it made his wife and two close friends happy and that was all that mattered.

"I wish to meet him" Cedric said wondering if his father would bend and try and find Harry for him.

"You may see him later, you need to rest" Amos said having gotten word from his wife on what Cedric was trying to do.

"Mum got to you" Cedric grouched before slouching in the chair and giving his father a glare, his mother could be so efficient sometimes it made him crazy.

"She may, but don't worry too much about that. I do wish to speak to you" Amos said leaning against his desk and giving his son a look.

"Dad" Cedric said worried over the way his father was acting now, was something going on between his parents that he didn't know about?

"I want you to know that I love you and that I will support any decision you make during courting season" Amos said to his son, he wanted to make sure that his son understood that he would love him regardless of the spouse he chose to spend the rest of his life with.

"Dad?" Cedric said surprised and confused over the words his father had just spoken.

"I just want you to understand that you don't need to make a decision based on what you think I want. What I want for you is for you to be happy, and if that means picking someone that you think I won't approve of, then do it for your heart should be the only things that guides you in your journey for courting. It's how I found your mother you know, she was sitting at the Ravenclaw table one day during open season and it was then that I knew I would spend the rest of my life with her" a smile lit up Amos Diggory's face and it was then that Cedric understood that his father was doing this for him, not for the Diggory Line or the image that they need put forward but for him, Cedric Diggory, son of Amos and Genoveva Diggory. No titles, no status just out of pure love, something that couldn't be said in all families.

"I will dad, I will" Cedric said deep in thought over his father's words, he had been already looking at the 'stock' that Hogwarts had and had come up with no one that he was willing to tie himself to for any amount of time, let alone his whole life.

"Good, now go and rest; I'm certain Emmeline will come for a visit soon" Amos said knowing that his son would shoot up to his room at hearing that Emmeline would be coming for a visit.

"I think I just might do that" Cedric said before leaving the room and then running top speed to his room, ready to wait for Emmeline to come and see him. He had questions and Emmeline was one of the few people he knew that could give him what he wanted, answers. Amos shook his head as he watched his son disappear out of the library.


	4. Chapter 4

~Marquis's Room, 30 minutes later~

"Come in" Cedric said as he sat at this writing desk reading over some of the homework that had been given for over the summer vacation.

"Marquis" Emmeline said formally until the door was closed; it was then that she had an arm full of the Marquis Diggory.

"I would ask if you missed me, but I think I already have my answer" Emmeline joked before hugging Cedric back and then pulling back to get a good look at him.

"You're so big and handsome!" Emmeline said a huge smile on her face; Cedric had certainly turned into a looker that was for sure.

"Emmeline" Cedric said before laughing and then moving over to where the bouquet of flowers still sat on his writing desk.

"Harry" Emmeline said knowing that Cedric had been asking about the small teenage boy.

"Yes, I would like to meet him, thank him for these" Cedric said explaining his main reason for wanting to meet Harry.

"You will soon enough" Emmeline said, she had actually talked Harry into coming to the party that was due to start as soon as she brought Cedric down, but now she wasn't so certain that had been a good idea. He along with Laurel had put together flower arrangements for the two small tables that sat on the back patio near the gardens. There just so happened to be an overhang that covered up most of the party paraphernalia from view, so Cedric truly was clueless on it.

"So everyone keeps saying" Cedric said before slumping his shoulders.

"Come, come" Emmeline said as if granting Cedric his wish of seeing Harry.

"Really? You'll introduce me?" Cedric asked acting nothing like the teen that most saw while he was at Hogwarts, where he was the roguish Hufflepuff with a swagger like none other.

"Yes, I'll introduce you. That is if you can find him" Emmeline joked before the pair was making their way to the gardens via one of the main floor rooms that took you out under the overhang that hid the party from view.

"What do you mean by that? Dad said the same thing" Cedric said as they entered the room, not even noticing that as they near the large French doors that there was a small garden party set up.

"Harry's hard to get a hold of, never in one place for a long period of time" Emmeline said knowing that Harry would probably spend the bulk of his time in the large rows of roses or peonies to shade himself from view, something he was always trying to do.

"I'll find him" Cedric stated in a firm voice before gasping when he saw the party laying before him.

"What is this?" Cedric said turning to Emmeline and then gazing at the party again. There standing before him were his father, mother, Abay, Laurel, Nicholas Laurel's husband and Doc without a Harry to be seen; or at least from what Cedric could see.

"Mum, Dad?" Cedric said looking to his parents and getting grins in response.

"What is this?"

"Welcome home Marquis" Emmeline said formally before pulling Cedric into a huge and then blowing a raspberry at him.

"For me?" Cedric said before laughing at the looks he got.

"No, it's for the kid behind you" Abay said in a joking manner which sent the group into a laughing fit. Sometimes Cedric could be so blonde about things, and it seemed this was one of those moments. At those words Cedric jokingly turned around and then turned back around.

"Where'd he go?"

"He's yours alright" Genoveva said to Amos before being tickled by Amos, Cedric watched the interaction a contemplative look on his face. He wanted what his parents had but he had no idea on who would fit the bill of things that he wanted in a spouse. Now that he knew his father would approve of any pairing he chose he sighed in relief and began to run through the boys that walked the halls of Hogwarts for any sort of prospective spouse, so far his quick run through had proved fruitless.

"Now come on over" Laurel said noticing that Cedric was watching his parents a look of longing on his face, it seemed that courting couldn't come fast enough for the young Marquis.

"So what do we have to eat, I'm hungry" Cedric said before patting his belly as it growled as if on cue.

"Always hungry you are" Nicholas said, he was the head chef of the manor something that he and his wife were proud of. Most manors went through chefs because either the chef was too needy or the manor's occupants were too needy, never a good combination.

"Well, what are we working with here?" Cedric said forgetting for the moment that he had been on a quest to find Harry, now that food was before him.

"Your favorites" Nicholas said pulling off the top on the few silver serving dishes that sat on another small table.

"Real beef" Cedric said with a smile as he saw the sliced pieces of beef lying in juices that were bubbling from the small fire that lay underneath it.

"Oh and mashed potatoes" Cedric said now drooling over the items sitting on the table.

"Well get a plate and load up" Nicholas said before pointing out the plates and then watching as Cedric dive bombed the stack and began loading up his plate, tunnel vision fully engaged.

"Get Harry his plate" Emmeline whispered to Laurel, only she alone knew where Harry would be hiding in the rows and rows of flowers.

"Consider it done" Laurel said before grabbing a plate and loading it up with just a few items. Harry still ate like a small bird and so putting more food on the plate was just a bad idea. They had seen Harry go to tears when he couldn't finish what he had been given, so instead they gave him just a little bit more food each time he ate, hoping to get his stomach back up to normal size. The Dursley's would pay for what they had done but it would have to wait until Harry was truly away from the Dursley and Potter names. Laurel got in line behind Cedric and then disappeared with a plate of food and a glass of water. Harry had yet to drink anything besides water and she wasn't going to push it on him now, he was uncomfortable as it was. Cedric never even noticed when Laurel disappeared but he did notice when she came out of the rows of flowers with a small grin on her face.

"Laurel what's out there that's made you so happy?" Cedric asked finally realizing that Harry, the phantom worker was nowhere to be seen.

"Just the flowers" Laurel said easily before laughing at the look that Cedric gave her.

"Here's the deal…eat your food and see if you can find Harry" Laurel said, she had been told by Harry that Cedric was more than welcome to come and find him but he was not going to go to where Cedric was with the party. He was still very uncomfortable in those types of situations, and so he had stuck to the garden's cover to wait out the party. At those words Cedric descended on his food with a single mindedness that few had ever seen.

"He's it" Emmeline said to Genoveva as they watched Cedric eat.

"He is" Genoveva agreed, she wasn't at all surprised that her son had such an interest but what was surprised her was the way her son was acting without even meeting Harry.

"Then let us hope that the adoption papers go through this week" Genoveva whispered to Emmeline before she got a nod in response and the pair started in on dinner. There was little talk coming from Cedric since he wanted to go and find this Harry that it seemed had everyone at the manor in an uproar.

"Done" Cedric said before pushing his chair back and standing up and then leaving the table without asking to be excused. Amos watched humor written on his face; only his son could be so rude and still do it with grace.

"Do you think he'll find him?" Amos asked the table, before there was a betting pool on who thought that Cedric would find Harry.


End file.
